Interest in broadband optical access networks is growing, driven by an increasing demand for high-speed multimedia services. Optical access networks are often referred to as fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC), fiber-to-the-building (FTTB), fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP), or fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). Each such network provides an access from a central office to a building, or a home, via optical fibers. As the transmission quantity of such an optical cable is much greater than the bandwidth actually required by each subscriber, a passive optical network (PON) shared between many subscribers through a splitter was developed.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional optical network unit (“ONU”) transceiver module 100 is shown. The ONU transceiver module 100 includes input/output (I/O) pins 105 that are plugged or soldered to the ONU box's internal printed circuit board (PCB) (not shown). The ONU transceiver module includes a RF connector 110 for a RF cable to connect to the ONU transceiver module 100. More specifically, typical ONU transceiver modules 100 have 20 I/O pins in a row protruding from the bottom of the ONU transceiver modules 100 and the separate standard RF connector 110 for transmission of an electrical video signal. One example of a standard RF connector used is a SubMiniature B (“SMB”) connector that protrudes from a side of the ONU transceiver module 100. The ONU box (not shown) to which the ONU transceiver module 100 connects has a RF cable that is plugged into the module's RF connector 110 to tap RF video signals from the ONU transceiver module 100.
Referring to FIG. 2, another typical ONU transceiver module 200 includes I/O pins 205 and an RF connector 210 with pins which protrude out the base of the ONU transceiver module 200 and are connected to the ONU transceiver module's 200 internal PCB (not shown). The RF connector 210 includes pins that protrude out from the bottom of the module and are also connected onto the ONU box's PCB within which the ONU transceiver module is assembled. A large disadvantage of this previous design is the need to align the RF signal connector's 210 pins as well as the array of I/O pins 210 into holes on the ONU box's PCB. The previous designs also typically require additional soldering processes to solder the RF connector pins to the ONU box's PCB. Thus, what would be advantageous is a simplified means of connection for ONU transceiver modules.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any particular disadvantages or that operate only in particular environments such as those described herein. Rather, such environments and disadvantages are provided only to illustrate examples of technology areas in which several embodiments may be practiced.